Heroics of Clint Dempsey all in vain for Tottenham

IT WAS one drama too many in Europe for Tottenham last night as they suffered the pain of being knocked out in a penalty shoot-out.

Clint Dempsey opened the scoring but Tottenham were pegged back and held before losing on penalties

Andre Villas-Boas’s men had to play extra-time with 10 men as they held out to take their Europa League quarter-final to spot-kicks.

But while Basle claimed four from four penalties, Tom Huddlestone, who had done so well as a makeshift centre-back, saw his effort saved and Emmanuel Adebayor lifted his high over the crossbar.

It was so cruel on the north Londoners, who had looked to be on course to continue their remarkable journey in this competition and book a semi-final date.

Earlier in the knockout stages, there were crucial late goals at home and away against Lyon from Gareth Bale and Mousa Dembele. Then there was that extra-time goal from Adebayor at the San Siro to overcome Inter Milan and book a place in the last eight.

At least now there can be no distraction of a Europa League final in Amsterdam four days before their final Premier League game of the season, at home to Sunderland, which could decide whether they finish in the top four and go into the Champions League. Tottenham had a real go against the Swiss champions, but a couple of crucial errors gave them a mountain to climb.

They did so well to take it to added time and Villas-Boas was punching the air in the 82nd minute when his men equalised through Clint Dempsey’s second of the night. In the final minute of normal time Jan Vertonghen was given a straight red for tripping Marco Streller as he threatened to go clear through on goal.

The wet and slippery conditions had played a key part in Dempsey’s first goal in the 23rd minute.

Basle celebrate after reaching their first European semi-final

Centre-back Fabian Schar slipped and the ball ended up at the feet of Dempsey, who kept his cool to stroke the ball home.

Four minutes later, Basle were level. Dembele lost possession 35 yards out from his own goal and Mohamed El-Nenny picked out Mohamed Salah on the overlap.

Salah improvised neatly by poking the ball into the bottom of Brad Friedel’s goal.

Spurs fell behind in the 49th minute when Schar flicked on a corner from the right and Friedel could only palm it straight to Aleksander Dragovic, who prodded home. It was a bad mistake by Friedel but then Dempsey hit back and the dream was back on – only to end in shoot-out despair.